- Big-room techno loaded with details.
- Julia Govor's new label, Jujuka, has a twist: each release will come with a humorous comic about dance music culture. The first comes with a sheet depicting a punter getting turned away from all kinds of clubs, before finding a Jeff Mills show that welcomes her with open arms (she later shuns another punter for daring to talk on the dance floor). It's the kind of wry, subtle humour you'd find in a New Yorker cartoon, and while it doesn't add much to this techno EP, it's a welcome novelty.
In a similar spirit, The New York-based Russian producer makes functional big-room techno with eccentric flourishes. The sound palette reflects the greyscale techno that rules clubland these days, but her textures and arrangements are intricate. "1991" has a low-key tribal groove with a repeating chord that melts into the background. The way that chord subtly changes shape is as engrossing as the fluttering snare pattern. The wiggly "1984" is quirky and minimal, while "0031" is the big techno banger, albeit one where every sound is meticulously tweaked. The chords ping like underwater sonar, the kick drum is rubbery and the hi-hats jiggle. These inventive touches enrich the functionality of Govor's techno.
TracklistA1 0031
B1 1991
B2 1984